More Beacon News and Mobile Usage Data

A bit of news around iBeacons/Beacons or Bluetooth Low Energy.

For mobile payments:

http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/How-Bluetooth-Beacons-Are-Central-to-GoPago-And-Slyde-Mobile-Payment-And-Offers-App

For Marriott:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/marriott-expands-mobile-platform-to-integrate-with-ibeacons

Next up is some mobile usage data that won't surprise anyone.  People are increasingly reliant on their smart phones for their in-store experience:

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/229888/mobile-apps-used-in-store-to-confirm-or-find-alter.html?edition=74407

Here is a snippet from that piece:

According to the CFI Group’s Retail Satisfaction Barometer, the use of mobile applications for shopping purposes doubled in the past year, with 41% of consumers actively using mobile apps to hunt for information while shopping. Mobile provides an additional channel for shoppers looking for the most convenient avenue to purchase relative to their lifestyle. Furthermore, the study found that checkout is the most impactful driver of the customer experience.

The information in that study on the impact of mobile may be the most interesting.  We are seeing a huge impact across the board, from channel to channel, by mobile usage.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant